Shady Pines Pumpkin Patch Adventure for Halloween Week

by Mary Jane | Oct 26, 2021 | Breaking News, The Kindness Connection Blog

Get The Scoop from the Pumpkin Patch

Halloween week is a special time in Shady Pines. All around town people are picking out costumes and pickng up pumpkins to decorate. Along with the explosion of fall colors and cooler weather, it’s a good idea to head to the local Pumpkin Patch.

I’m Scoop, the Cub Reporter with The Shady Pines Gazette and I’m headed that way right now. My assignment is to discover why so many folks say this is one of their favorite things to do each year as a family.

One thing I’ve noticed is that from toddlers to teens like myself, a pumpkin patch is fun for everyone. First of all, you get some exercise and you’re outside.

Good To Be Outside

And, most of these working farms are so big you don’t have to worry about social distancing. At some point you will have to pay for the pumpkins you’re going to take home. That puts you close to the person who checks you out. You might want to bring a mask if you’re not vaccinated. Okay, I’m here. I’ve gotta interview people.

One mom I met told said, “If your kids don’t explore the outdoors very often, this is a great way for them to discover nature. Seeing how pumpkins grow out of the ground and are attached to vines is very educational. It helps them understand that pumpkins don’t just show up at the grocery store automatically.”

I can already see for myself that this is one place where children can run around and discover things for themselves. That’s really important. I know I like to find those unexpected, special, moments. For instance, take a look at this shot I got. Do you see the colors of that butterfly next to the pumpkin? Being out on the farm you can just be amazed at Mother Nature. I think this kind of stuff is really cool!

I met another mom who told me, “From the second we arrived, my children ran off with smiles, but quickly, they realized how much work it was to be in a field of pumpkins. Even running took work since the vines were everywhere, waiting to trip little, toddler-sized running feet.”

It turns out that not only is this a great way to spend time with the family, there are also some lessons to be learned. There aren’t a whole bunch of people working the farms these days. So a lot of kids don’t realize it takes hard work to be a farmer. One young girl I met was getting a little taste of that. Just trying to push a wheelbarrow with a big ‘ole pumpkin was something she hadn’t done before. The other thing she said was that she didn’t know pumpkins grew from tiny seeds. She also didn’t realize that they come in so many shapes, sizes and colors. “It’s kinda like people, isn’t it?” she asked.

I have to admit, I’d never thought of that before. It seems there are a lot of things to find in the pumpkin patch. One couple I met said they love coming out here each October. But this year it was especially important to them. “We know so many farms and other small businesses are struggling right now because of the pandemic. It was important to us to come out and support them.”

Pumpkin Carving and Fun Recipes

That’s reason enought for me to go home with some pumpkins of my own. I don’t know about you, but our family usually has a pumpkin carving contest. Last year my dad won. It’s time for me to take the title back! The other reason I need to pick up some pumpkins is to inspire my mom. Around Halloween she likes to scare up some pumpkin dishes for us. I’m talking about everything from pumpkin pies to pumpkin pancakes. Here are some recipes for you to try: PUMPKIN RECIPES

There’s one more thing I want to mention.

These pumpkin patch visits make for some great family photos. Everywhere I look I’m seeing parents taking all sorts of shots.

Oh, look at the time. I’ve got to get back to the Gazette office. My editor, Zulah Talmadge, is probably wondering why I’ve been gone so long. But this is just so darn much fun. Hope you’ve enjoyed it!

– Scoop out.

Time to Celebrate Memorial Day

by Mary Jane | May 26, 2021 | Special Events, The Kindness Connection Blog

Time To Celebrate!

It’s Memorial Day weekend! Now that most of the country is opening up, it will be more like business as usual for this 2021 holiday. Even though the pandemic is still a reality, and social distancing is still encouraged, we are slowly getting back to normal. The Shady Pines Gazette news editor, Zulah Talmadge, put out the word a week ago that she wants the people of Shady Pines Story Town to let her know how they plan to celebrate. Now, she’s having a hard time answering all the calls coming in!

“Yes, Sara, we’re doing a bunch of different stories about the holiday. What are you and Joe and the kids doing this year? You’re going to the picnic in Stonewall Park? You’re excited that it’s back on this year. You won’t have to wear a mask because you’ve been vaccinated? Uh-huh. I see. OK. We’ll see you there around 5:30.”

The Picnic Is Back

Zulah writes a few ideas in her reporter’s notebook. The annual Shady Pines Memorial Day Picnic is a big deal. The gathering this year will be larger than last year but folks will still be encouraged to stay in their own groups as much as possible.

To encourage some distancing, parking will be restricted to fewer cars than normal and areas will be roped off to prevent people gathering in large groups. Volunteers will be on hand to help anyone who’s confused about the new rules. Shady Pines is a small Southern town with a population of around 6,000 people. So, managing “crowds’ is easier here than in some places around the country.

Gathering Story Ideas

There’s a whole lot more to this story as well as another story about the importance of this day we honor every year. But to read more you’ll need to grab your copy of the June edition of The Shady Pines Gazette. You’ll find multiple pages of Stories, Recipes to Go and Features that are perfect to take on your holiday weekend getaway or wherever your plans take you.

You can get your

COPY HERE

ENJOY!

Shady Pines’ Mannerly Reaction to Capitol Siege

by Mary Jane | Jan 10, 2021 | Breaking News, The Kindness Connection Blog

After the Capitol riots

What in the world? Right there, live on TV, images from the recent attack in Washington, D.C. show us scenes that are hard to believe. Here we are watching, in real time, as a political rally turns into an angry mob. Suddenly, this swarm of people storm the nation’s Capitol building and overwhelm police. It can’t be real. Could this be happening in America?

Then, we notice our elected officials are huddled together fearing for their own safety. That is just way too scary. Only now are we realizing how dangerous the situation was!

Like many of you, folks in Shady Pines are still in shock. They write to me and say how sad and angry they are about this awful event. I’m Zulah Talmadge, editor of The Shady Pines Gazette News. Being upset is understandable. But what can we do to cope? And, how should we help children understand how to be good when they see adults behaving so badly?

Then it hit me! We’re a Southern Town. And if there’s one thing Southerners know, it’s manners. Maybe it’s time we set about making sure we treat one another better. Let’s start with some ideas from Betsy Cribb, a writer for Southern Living magazine.

Back to basics

Ms. Cribb reminds us that from the time Southern children are old enough to talk, they’re taught the importance of minding their p’s and q’s, saying “yes ma’am” and “no sir,” and treating others with kindness and respect. And they’re expected to continue minding those manners long after they leave the nest. After all, you’re never too young or too old to be polite. Here, nine etiquette lessons every child should learn this year

How to introduce themselves

You only get to make one first impression, and how you introduce yourself often determines the kind of impression you make. This lesson is essential as it’s a three-for-one learning opportunity: Showing children how to properly introduce themselves teaches them first, to share their first and last names with their new acquaintances; second, to look that person directly in the eye when speaking to them; and third, how to give a good handshake (a firm, but gentle squeeze is the name of the game).

How to graciously receive gifts

It’s no secret that young children don’t have much of a filter, but it’s important to teach them to accept gifts—even the ones they don’t like—with a “thank you” and a smile. Teach them well, and it’ll save you from serious embarrassment when they unwrap birthday socks from dear Aunt Linda…for the third year in the row. Once your children are old enough to write, buy them some stationery and teach them the art of the handwritten thank you note.

How to give people space

While the pandemic has certainly given us a new appreciation for maintaining distance, it’s always prudent to teach children to respect others’ personal space: That means no hovering, no close-talking, and minding boundaries.

How to behave at the dinner table

Whether eating at home, a restaurant, or their grandmother’s house, children should know the basics of dining etiquette and table manners. No, they don’t need to know the difference between a dinner fork and a salad fork at the tender age of five, but they should know how to politely ask for someone to fill their plates or share the dinner rolls (after all, while we love To Kill a Mockingbird’s spunky Scout, asking someone to “pass the damn ham, please” just won’t do). Children should also learn to keep their napkins in their laps, their elbows off the table, and their mouths closed while they chew.

How to behave online

With screens becoming ubiquitous in children’s lives, it’s more important than ever to remind them that manners matter as much online as they do in person. That means only writing, sharing, and posting things that they’d be comfortable with their teacher, preacher, and grandmother seeing.

How to accept compliments

Here’s a lesson we adults could stand to learn, too. It’s tempting to shrug off a compliment with a self-deprecating joke, a throwaway compliment volleyed in return, or an “oh hush;” but a sincere compliment should always be accepted with a simple, “Thank you. That’s so kind of you to say.” Children who know how to politely accept compliments grow up to be adults who know how to politely accept compliments.

How to offer compliments

Equally important to teaching children how to accept compliments is teaching kids how to give them. Sincerity should always be the driving force behind compliments, and while praising someone’s hair or dress is nice, it’s the genuine acknowledgement of a person’s best character traits, like thoughtfulness or positivity, that rank the most memorable.

How to be inclusive

Equip your children to make others feel welcome. Teach them the importance of inviting those who are left out to join the playground game and those who are sitting alone to pull up a seat at the lunch table. It’s what Southern hospitality is about.

How to show respect to others

Etiquette and good manners are all rooted in the most important lesson children should learn: how to treat people with respect. Everyone deserves to be shown kindness and respect, whether that’s through saying “yes sir” and “no ma’am,” offering a smile, or holding the door.

Of course, at the end of the day, children will be children, and sometimes, when things go awry, all you can do is show your children—and other parents with misbehaving children—a little grace and a little patience. That’s just good manners.

We know that here in Shady Pines Story Town we try our best to live by these examples. No one’s perfect. But here’s to serving up more kindness and caring this year while celebrating the best in all of us!

-Zulah out.

A New Approach to 2021

by Mary Jane | Dec 29, 2020 | Breaking News, The Kindness Connection Blog

Bye Bye 2020 – Hello 2021

It’s time to say good-bye to 2020. I’m Zulah Talmadge, editor of The Shady Pines Gazette. If you’re like most of our readers, you can’t wait to get this year behind you. Any way you look at it, this has been a roller coaster year!

So, how should we approach 2021? We’re still carrying many of the same issues right into January. I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately and decided we might need a different approach to the new year. We gotta switch things up.

Most of us are used to writing down the same ‘ole resolutions we make every year: Lose weight, Get healthy, Travel more – you get the picture. But is that really the best plan this time around? Or, are we now getting used to thinking and acting differently in our new world order?

Embrace Change

In 2020 the pandemic forced us to make changes. An out of control virus has a way of making us alter our lifestyle whether we want to or not. Otherwise, we are at risk of getting really sick, or worse.

Here’s what I’m thinking. The beauty of resolutions is they are about embracing change. How ’bout we find a way to do that in a positive, even fun way? In fact, instead of “resolutions,” maybe we should think of setting, “goals.” I talked to some experts and they suggest setting reasonable goals that you can actually achieve. Then, make an action plan.

For instance, let’s say you decide to walk five miles a day if you an/or your family are already active and have a safe place to walk or hike. But, if you’re mostly inactive, you could decide to walk for a certain amount of time each day. You might also start a new exercise program at home, like yoga. I’ve met a whole bunch of people in Shady Pines who’ve learned all kinds of exercise programs online this year.

Break The Mold

Let’s face it. The same old routine is boring. One thing you can say about a new year is that it’s a great excuse to change that same routine of yours.

Beside doing something physical, “something new’ can include reading a new book or learning a new hobby. Have you ever wanted to learn to paint? What about tackling a new language? You can do these things and more by yourself or with others by setting up screen to screen time. Staying connected is a good way to ease the lonliness that a lot of us have been feeling.

If you ask Edna Sanders, she’d tell you that trying out new recipes is a great thing to do. You know she likes to whip up all sorts of concoctions in her kitchen. She tells me in 2021 she’s going to do more baking and try to win another blue ribbon at the State Fair. Her chocolate chip cookies took Best In Show a few years back. She wants another trophy. That’s her goal!

Agility Training?

Here’s another thing. Starting in January, Edna says she wants to enroll her dog, Boomerang, into an agility training class. It’s no secret that the Australian Shepherd is a herding expert with a special talent for rounding up people. Edna figures that since he’s such an active dog anyway, running through an obstacle course will be good for him. Keeping that mind of his busy is always a challenge, too. There’s just one thing. Edna hasn’t told Boomer about her idea yet and she has no clue how Halley’s Comet will react. Edna is considering whether Boomer and Halley can take the training together.

If you ask me, that may take some convincing. Those two have very different ideas about how to spend their time.

Kindess and Gratitude Always Works

If this year has shown us anything we’ve found it’s all too easy to get stuck in the pit of despair and to focus on everything that’s wrong, instead of what is wonderful and happy. That’s why Shady Pines neighbors lean on one another for support.

As a community we’re going to make 2021 the year of Kindness and Gratitude. That’s our mutual goal. We’re going to resolve to do one nice act each day. This doesn’t have to be something big. Giving someone a compliment or saying ‘have a nice day’ are both simple acts of kindness.

Being grateful for even the simple things is also something we plan to celebrate. Before this year, many of us took the gift of good health for granted. Now, Covid 19 has given us a wake up call. Never has it been more important to appreciate being safe and healthy.

Happy New Year Year Everybody!

Shady Pines Letters to Santa

by Mary Jane | Dec 6, 2020 | Breaking News, The Kindness Connection Blog

Writing to Santa Claus

It’s that time of year folks! Kids all over Shady Pines are writing to Santa and letting him know what they want for Christmas. I’m Scoop the Cub reporter from The Shady Pines Gazette. Breaking News It’s so cool that my editor, Zulah Talmadge, gave me this assignment. I get a kick outta seeing what the kids write.

Our newspaper is encouraging adults to write letters this year, too. We’re going to have prizes for some of the best letters we get.

I think a few have already come in to our office here on Main Street. Let me go check the mail. Oh, good. Here’s one from Edna Sanders. She’s so nice. Let’s see what she has to say.

“Dear Santa, how are you? Because of the pandemic, this has been a tough year for our family like so many others. Harold and our kids, Boomerang and Halley’s Comet are counting our blessings. Harold’s Nuts ‘N Bolts hardware store has stayed busy enough that he didn’t have to lay off any of his employees. I’ve been able to volunteer and help out neighbors in need. In addition to our ongoing food drive, we just started collecting toys and warm winter coats. Boomer and Halley are still fussing at each other, which is normal. This Christmas I’m asking you to remind us to keep the spritit of Christmas in our hearts even in these difficult times. Love, Edna Sanders.”

Scoop finishes reading Edna’s letter. He hadn’t thought about the year quite that way. It has been hard to focus on the good when there’s been so much bad news. Edna’s right. There are a lot of folks in Shady Pines who are doing great work in the community spreading kindness and helping out others.

Oh, this should be interesting. It’s from Boomer. Just what does this Australian Shepherd want from Santa?

“Dear Santa, It’s me, Boomerang. I saw my mom writing to you. I bet she didn’t tell you what I want this year. I think I’ve been pretty good. I mean I live with that aggravatin’ cat so I do lose it sometimes. But, if you can fit it on your sleigh, I’d really like new chewy bones and some more tennis balls. I like to chase after them. Sometimes I try to get a bone and two tennis balls in my mouth at the same time. I did it once! Okay. That’s about it. See ya, Boomer”

Scoop sits back in his chair and shakes his head. That herding dog tries to be all tough and everything, but he’s really a good guy. Very kind to everyone. Still, the sibling rivalry between Boomer and his sister is legendary around here. That’s probably why our local author, Mary Jane McKittrick, writes books about them. Oh, wow. Speaking of Halley, here’s a letter from her!

“Dear, Santa. I don’t know if you remember me. I’m Halley’s Comet. Some people call me a silver streak of a cat. I live in Shady Pines with my wonderful parents, Harold and Edna. I have been very good this year. I know that because I haven’t been as mean to Boomer as I could be. I even got along with him that one time. Anyway, if you could, I need a new squeaky toy. And, can you bring more of those special kitty treats that I like? Oh, and more tuna would be good, too. Thank you, Halley.”

This one makes Scoop chuckle. That Halley is such a princess. She is classy, that’s for sure, and tough. She doesn’t take any guff from anyone – especially not from Boomer. But get her alone, and Halley is really sweet and loveable.

Here’s another letter. This one is from Mark Cahill. He’s only 5 years old. I can’t wait to read this one.

“Dear Santa, I am a good boy. I am nice to my little brother. I want Legos, Star Wars, and some surprises. I will leave cookies for you and applesauce for the reindeer. I like elves very much. Thank you, Mark.

Scoop smiles as he reads Mark’s letter. He tries to remember what he asked Santa to bring when he was 5 years old. Nope. Nothing comes to him. But one thing’s for sure. Mark is a kind kid.

Okay. Let’s find out who else has taken the time to send a letter. Ah, this one’s from Clara Miller. I think she’s 8, maybe 9 years old this year. I’m not really sure.

“Dear Santa, I hope you get this. I don’t know where the North Pole is. Do you really go around the world in one night? If you can do that, will you get my mom well? She’s really sick. I want some toys, but I want her home more. My dad is so scared. Please help us Santa.”

Scoop just looks at Clara’s letter with its scribbled hand writing. He takes a deep breath. A lot of families in Shady Pines have been affected by Covid 19. We’ve been reporting about it all year. Clara’s mom has been hospitalized for the past month. Neighbors have been doing what they can to support Clara, her dad and her brother.

This one’s from Rita Mallena. Let’s find out what our Community Center Director has on her mind.

“Dear, Santa. I’m writing to you for all the boys and girls who love coming to the Center and aren’t able to do that right now. Normally, we’d be getting ready for our annual Christmas party. The kids from the Shady Pines Elementary School next door always look forward to the meal, the singing, the games and the present exchange. It’s a really fun time for the children and their parents. Santa, my wish this year is that we will be able to have gatherings like that again very soon. In the meantime, please make sure everyone stays safe and healthy this holiday season. All the best, Rita.”

Scoop puts Rita’s letter back in the envelope. Geez. If all the letters that come into the Gazette office are as good as this batch, it’s going to be hard to pick winners. Just wondering, what would your letter to Santa say this year? Please let us know and leave a comment below!

« Older Entries